Things foreigners should NOT do in Korea (from a Korean's perspective) 

i have a que about no.3 if there is no car around on the road thn why should people wait for the green light? i mean is it like somebody is monitoring peoples activity on the road 24/7??

Be aware that you can’t call oppa/onnie to everyone, it is something that you do when you have a close relationship to them. Please correct me :)

I'm curious about the real opinions on tattoos over there. I know you say they are more lenient towards foreigners, but would they form an impression anyway and treat you differently if you have lots of tattoos? Is this changing with younger generations?

Food do's and dont's , how to eat certain foods would be good. The horror when one of my friends stuck their chopsticks vertically into their rice bowl in front of elders

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I have never been to SK, however it's on my Bucket list. I am a big big fan of K-Dramas and have watched like more than 50 till now, so I am aware of some such customs followed by Koreans. I am absolutely in love with K-Dramas. Though I watch them with English subtitles, I wish to learn Korean. I have learnt the script quite well but - like any other language - spoken Korean and written Korean are like two different languages. Would be great if you can come up with some short videos of spoken Korean for Foreign Tourists visiting Korea. That would be big help, especially for tourist wanting to visit rural Korea. Thanks.

Good way to have no Korean friends in Korea

이게 정답이긴함 막 대놓고 뭐라하지는 않지만

Its like wearing a t shirt with a mushroom cloud with the text "HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI" in Japan

맞죠 보면 빡치긴함

@@greatjoseon would that, paired with the rising sun, be alright in Korea?

2번부터 14번까지 전부 맞는 말이지만 1번은 한국의 악습관임. 외국인들이 와서 좀 굳은 한국 성문화 인식을 풀어줘라

⁠​⁠​⁠@@user-op2jy7bj9u저는 공공장소에서의 과한 스킨쉽 자제는 맞다고 봐요,, 껴안거나 가볍게 프렌치키스 하는 정도는 뭐라 안 하잖아용 ㅎㅎ..

ㅋㅋㅋ굳은 성문화 인식 이러고있네 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 저게 악습관이라니 우물안 개구리시네

​@@user-op2jy7bj9u음...😅

커플들 교제하고 공공장소에서 어울리는 거 반대하지는 않지만 그래도 공공장소에서 과도한 스킨십을 하는 건 조금...😅😅 공공장소에는 어린이들도 있을 수 있고 노인분들도 계실 수 있는데 아직은 이런 이유로 과도한 스킨십 금지하는거를 악습이라 하기에는 시기가 좀 이를 수도 있지 않을까요?

I just stayed 6 nights in Korea in Myeongdong and the people are loverly, I tried my hardest to show respect to everyone, I was always bowing to people, and i think they appreciated it.

Interesting culture. Curiosity: is racism something you are actively taught from family and school or something inherent to yout culture? As in: Korean culture and race is superior, we can tolerate foreigners but never mix etc. or it's inevitably just part of your background? Do you despise foreigners or rather just find them disgusting? I am honestly very curious.

​@@adampr5242 very rude. Curiosity: have you ever communicated with people? How can you talk about racism when you're full of your own bias? I mean seriously, what are you even talking about?

You are so kind. Thank you for your last lines. ❤

이렇게 영어 유창하게 해보는 게 소원임

솔직히 그냥 원어민임 ㅋㅋ

감사합니다. 한국 문화에 대한 이해와 관심이 많습니다. 외국인들이 한국을 방문할 때 도움이 되도록 도와드리고 싶습니다. 아래는 외국인들을 위한 방한 메뉴얼 영상 제안입니다. 1. 한국의 전통 음식 소개 2. 한국의 예절과 문화 3. 한국의 관광명소 소개 4. 한국어 기초 표현 배우기 5. 한국의 특별한 축제 소개 이러한 주제들을 다루며 외국인들에게 한국을 더 재미있게 경험할 수 있도록 도와주는 영상을 제작하고자 합니다. 혹시 추가로 궁금한 사항이 있으시면 언제든지 물어봐주세요. 함께 외국인들에게 한국을 소개하는데 도움이 될 것입니다.

This is a “She” not a “He”

한국문화에 대한 이해가 깊다니... 한국에서 태어난 한국인인데... 님도 한국말 잘 하네요 세종학당 출신? ㅋ

so im guessing wearing a shirt with two rising sun flags is out of the question.

@@vynlh Not true of what?

​@@vynlh뭐가 틀려?

@@vynlh you're wrong. that's true😂

Koreans may wear a hakenkreuz as jewelry only because it represents Buddhism, but... not a good idea to wear it in the West.

난 옛날에 저게 미국식 인사인줄 알았음.

그 손바닥 합장은 지디가 해서 그런가 갑자기 아이돌들이 그렇게 인사해서 잘못 전파된듯해요 그 인사는 진짜 별류임

Thank you for your thoughts 🙏🏻 May I ask you, if a foreigner wants to meet and talk to some locals in SK, how could that be done? Not for romance or anything like that, but just a fun chat about life and our different cultures. Thank you 🇦🇺🇰🇷

이건 요가학원 인사아닌가

@@Kuromee_xoxo 합장하는거는 불교식 인사라서 주로 절에서 하거나 동남아시아에서 많이 하는 인사법입니다. 한국에서는 주로 절에서는 합장하지만 보통 종교적인 장소가 아니면 합장까지 하지는 않죠.

어우.. 중국인이냐고 물어보면 기분 나쁠거같넹..

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ저 저번에 가타카나보고 중국인인줄알고 중국인이냐 했더니 서버에 있던 일본인들이 발작하면서 아니라고 화내던데ㅋㅋ 개웃김

​@@africa_stream아 솔찍히 일본은 반중이 우리나라보다 심한 편인데 너무하네 ㅋㅋㅋ

혐중도 적당히.

ㅋㅋㅋ 선넘네

thank you

There exist designated smoking areas. Other than them, well..

In fact, many of korean smoker also don't stick to the manner.

very important

​@@user-zq6tu4ey2c그래서 짜증나죠

Sure, it cannot be forgotten since they never sincerely apologized like German did for the war crimes. The massacre, human experiments(Unit 731), sexual slavery, forced labor, etc.

@@chkim1219 사과를 아예 하지 않은것은 아닙니다. 일본에서 사과를한사람과 안한사람이 있을뿐입니다. 문제는 자신들이 잘못이없다며 역사왜곡을하기까지하는쪽이 더 많기때문입니다. 일부가 사과하고 더많은 일본사람들이 그것을 짓밟습니다. 또한 대부분은 크게 관심이 없습니다.

@need-money-for-porsche Many times they expressed apologies for their mistakes over colonial rule, but now, all of them have become non-existent. It's because politicians who follow World War II are in power in Japan. It is like saying in Germany that there is no fault in Germany because the Nazi party came to power again. Apologies and reflections should be maintained. Now, if they reverse their statement, it's not an apology. And after detailed war crimes were revealed, they have never been acknowledged as true. Of course, there was no reflection either.

@need-money-for-porsche You don't seem to understand me at all. Are you saying that since Germany has apologized in the past, it is okay for Germany to deny its war crimes and allow politicians who follow the Nazis to come to power with the popular vote? This is what is happening in Japan right now. That's why I said that their apologies were meaningless. What is the use of apologizing in the past when the present is like this? The reality is that the Japanese people themselves elected such politicians. After the politicians are elected, the first thing they do is go to a shrine honoring the World War II war criminals and pay their respects. The cause is not in Korea. It's entirely in Japan. There are really a lot of Koreans going on a trip to Japan right now. It's cheap and it's the closest country. If the historical issue is resolved, Korea-Japan relations will become very close. But Japan can't. They don't want their support base to acknowledge their political crimes. I'm talking Japanese right wing. Japan would have been divided into North and South like Germany had it not been for the Korean War. It would be difficult to become economically prosperous again. It should have received worldwide criticism, but it did not. so it was forgotten War crimes could not be liquidated. Except for Asia, no one knew about it. unlike the Nazis If you apply my logic to the Israeli-Germany relationship, you will see how absurd Japan's behavior is.

​@need-money-for-porsche 예전에 사과를 했다가 한순간에 그런적 없다고 발뺌하고 있는데 용서가 된다고 생각하나? 70년대, 80년대에 사과? 지금은 2023년도이다. 당신 말대로 99%가 중립이라는 것은 99퍼센트가 아무것도 하지 않는다는 말 아닌가? 진정성 없는 사과는 사과가 아니다. 거짓말쟁이의 사과가 어떻게 사과라고 생각할 수 있는가? 게다가 아직까지도 한국의 영토를 일본영토라고 거짓말하고 있고 또 다시 전쟁을 일으키려고 일본의 헌법을 바꾸기도 했다. 야만스럽고 비열한 나라가 일본이다.

동의합니다 ㅎㅎ

대체로 맞지만 한국에서도 초면에 나이 물어보는거 실례인데.. 나이도 모르고 서로 존칭쓰며 일년넘게 보는 사람도 있음. .오히려 미국애가 나한데 나이 먼저 물어봐서 놀랬음

@@user-yd8es8hc8p 동의합니다만 대부분 실례가 아니라고 생각하는 거 같네요. 이름도 물어보기 전에 나이 물어보는 거 보면 조금 한심하긴 합니다

욱일기 관련된 말은 몇몇의 한국인이 아니라 모든 한국인이라고 해줬으면…

100% agree~

저도 다른 유튜버들은 좀 이상한 편견 심어주는 말들 많아서 좀 그랬는데.. 이 분은 딱 적절한 정도로 잘 설명해주신거 같아요. 한국인으로서 공감

And Russia, in fact. As Russian, living in Europe I see how much my culture is similar to East Asian society rules.

그런 영상이라면 정말 좋은 경험이었을 것 같습니다. 알고리즘은 우리에게 많은 도움을 주는 만능 솔루션이죠. 그 모습을 보면서 무례하지 않게 대화하는 것 역시 소중한 덕목이라고 생각합니다. 좋은 영상 소개해주셔서 감사합니다!

반내언냐???

한국인이래잖아요

다만 지하철 노약자석은 나이든 사람뿐 아니라 다쳤거나 아주 어린아이 등 교통약자라면 다 앉을수 있는데 그부분만 잘못된듯요

근데 무단횡단은 한국도 차가 없을땐 보통 그냥 하지 않나? 그건 괜찮을텐데

@@JA-ms4ux 사바사인거같아요 저희가족들은 차 없어도 안건너거든요 친구들도 대체로 그런편이구요 😅

Yep very true. The only reason I didn't was this one time my maternal grandmother ate out with my family (parents, sister, & I). Korean parents/grandparents tend to put food on your plate for you. My grandmother had eaten a banchan that was made with almonds or walnuts which I'm pretty allergic (not anaphylactic but enough to get really severe stomachaches & itchiness in my throat). Most Koreans I have met/know say they don't understand/know about allergies since at that time allergies weren't common knowledge or a thing.

네 맞아요 연세가 많고 과도하게 친철하신 분들의 지나친 호의는 적정선에서 받아들이시는 것도 예의입니다 이건 한국의 젊은 사람들에게도 어떻게 해야할지 선택하기 어려운 부분입니다 :)

Is that a genetic thing about Koreans that they don’t have allergies? Or is it something to do with how they feed babies, like do they expose them to everything in a way that makes them not likely to become allergic?

@emmanarotzky6565 could be a combo of everything. My parents fed me nuts & had cats before having me and while my mom was pregnant. Yet, my sistwr & I are still allergic to cats, & I'm allergic to treenuts.

@@emmanarotzky6565 I know a few Koreans with allergies. My wife for example. :D From my experience Korean parents (or at least grandparents) are more strict than for example German parents, what the babies for example put in their mouth. my mother in law for example also washes and cleans everything the babies touches or if a cookie fall on the ground even on clean grass, they throw it away, while in Germany we just blow dirty of an its ready to eat again, theres also a big amount of people in Germany believe its better to have a bit contact to some bacteria to train the babies immune system.

Just my thoughts. They all will be friendly and helpful but getting linked seems almost impossible.

I do find it a bit odd that random people just start speaking to others when closeby. Maybe because my parents were never raised with that custom but grew used to it after coming to the States, having me then my sister. It's nice in terms of hospitality but still a bit weird.

Asking for needed help would not be under the category of smalltalk.

Same principle in much of Europe. Yea, we absolutely don't mind helping somebody out but there has to be a legitimate reason to begin talking basically.

It's better to just get on the livinginkorea subreddit or call 1330 foreigner traveler hotline if you're lost. The one and only time when I asked a Korean for help when I was lost, they yelled, "NO!!!" as loudly as they could.

Not just Korea, that's in every part of the civilized world

@@rizkiramadhan9266Except Japan😅

@@kfx3907 yeah obvs lol

@@kfx3907 Europe too. They simply support Japan regarding this matter while they go nut with the German version.

Don’t worry South Koreans are docile and submissive and still colonized by western countries ! So do wathever you want if you are a western person ! If you are the global south I won’t encourage you to go there since South Koreans absolutely racists towards others Asians , Arabs , Africans …

Don’t worry South Koreans are docile and submissive and still colonized by western countries ! So do wathever you want if you are a western person ! If you are the global south I won’t encourage you to go there since South Koreans absolutely racists towards others Asians , Arabs , Africans …

And Koreans part? What difference would it make if your discriminated at every turn for being black in Korea?

@@toydigger you’ll be discriminated in South Korea no doubt ! They see themselves as some kind of Europeans …

Every single one of these rules also applies in Japan - including, probably, the one on the 'Rising Sun' flag.

It provides a balanced and clear perspective on the cultural and social norms in Korea without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details. This can help foreigners better understand and navigate their experiences in Korea. Anna's explanation also reflects her own cultural background and perspective, which can be valuable for foreigners seeking insights from a local perspective. Overall, her description is well-reasoned and helpful for those planning to visit Korea.

Exactly... and common sense. Weren't we taught that "When in Rome do as the Romans"?

That’s what I wanted to say too!

Apparently many foreigners in Korea have no common sense about these etiquette

🫨🫨🫨

As a Korean American, we wear flip flops/sandals of some sort as our indoor footwear then sneakers or boots for outdoor. Many friends of mine have found it smart to take shoes off when going inside the university dorm to keep it cleaner.

Yes, same with Nazis and swastika. But some symbols tend to trigger negative responses due to historical context.

Good

Nazi's national flag : Hakenkreuz Empire of japan's national flag : Hinomaru Hakenkreuz = Hinomaru Hakenkreuz =/ Rising Sun Flag

​@@jaye9298What are you saying? The Hinomaru is Japan's national flag. Nobody cares about the Hinomaru. We only object to war flags such as the Rising Sun flag.

Still, you can't compare it like that. When you see in germany people wearing a Hakenkreuz, he is most likely a Nazi. In Japan, the origin of the flag goes back to edo period, has been used in different occasions and still is in use in commong products (anybody remember the Street fighter game?). It's wise to not show it in South Korea, China or Southeast Asia though. But comparing it to the Hakenkreuz is from an objective point of view wrong

I agree with her sertan things should be for behind closed doors thanks 🇰🇷 many respects from 🇬🇧

Very hot women tho Many respects 🇰🇷 from 🇬🇧

It sounds like you had a great experience in Seoul! It's always interesting to visit a different culture and see how they do things differently. It's great that you appreciated the respect for etiquette and quietness in public places. We hope you get the chance to visit again soon!

i am polish too. what is a "catcalling " she was talking about?

​@@Fragi Men (or women) making sounds or shouting words to strangers about their appearance, usually in a sexual manner, like "meow, hot mama" or "come here sexy thing" or "strut your stuff".

Small talk could end up turning into a friendship or making a work connection. It's a small world if you only talk to people you already know.

​@@Fragi Catcalling is when someone is saying inappropriate sexual things to you like "hey sexy" when you walk by and you don't know them.

First time to channel - just the right length -to the point with some flair

완벽

I agree... except for the cult part 🤣maybe that's exactly what they need

Oh shut up. You are probably the worst of them all... the people that like to go around crowing that they are in the know are usually the people that are most in the wrong.

do you have yellow fever?

Thanks for your feedback! It's great to hear that these tips align with your natural tendencies. It's always a good reminder to be mindful of our actions and how they impact those around us. Thank you for being considerate and respectful of others!

With regards to the sociability aspect, if you look like a foreigner, you will probably get treated very differently by Koreans. I've lived in Seoul for a year and a half now and because I'm Asian, I basically blend right in and no one tries to talk to me or treat me any differently. If you look Western, people will want to practice their English with you or in general just interact with you because they simply view you differently. It's great that you haven't had a bad experience with it so far!

In my experience, people who I rode the bus with would only start talking to me after I'd ridden with them several times or had several times where we were sitting at the same bus stop every morning. By contrast, one time I was in an elevator with my wife (Korean) and some random American got on and asked me some questions about whatever and then we chatted for a minute or two before having to exit. My wife believed that he was a friend of mine because we chatted on the elevator. I had never seen him before; no idea who he was.

That's because elderly people has power to ignore to be forgiven in general. Young ages can be eaily blamed for their actions so they are kind of cautious to everything but elderly people is safe from those blames. :)

I am a Korean living in Seoul, and to tell you the Korean psychology of small talk, There are too many people on the street who want to talk to them for evangelical purposes and take them to religion. That's why I'm often worried that people will be suspicious when I ask for directions on the street Simply put, the reason why Koreans don't give small talk to others is not to be recognized as such a suspicious person. However, since foreigners are not familiar with this religious evangelism and do not participate on their own, Koreans will rather think of it as a more purely intentional question when foreigners talk to them and lower their psychological barriers. Foreigners don't have to worry too much In fact, Koreans also like to talk, and want to kindly let you know when they ask me for directions, but just don't want to be recognized as suspicious or rejected by others.

Honestly, I think Ms. Anna's experience is going to be a bit different than ours as foreigners, because, even though she lived abroad and can see how things are different, she is still Korean born and Korean by ethnicity. We are very obviously neither ethnically or nationally Korean, and in places where everyone generally looks the same, people tend to be very curious about obviously different people. I got addressed for conversation by a lot of strangers who wanted to practice their English, several middle aged+ women wanted to touch my naturally blonde hair, I had people stare into my eyes because they're naturally blue, I got catcalled, one of my female classmates poked my boob and asked if it was real, etc. I think, in a lot of ways, the fact that I'm foreign and likely have different customs led to both them and myself using the "foreigner card" to excuse things that aren't typical Korean behavior, and in the same vein, natural curiosity often overrides propriety. In no way was I offended, hurt or in any other way bothered by this, but that doesn't change that it happened.

Only US are mad with tipping

@@Lucia-1414I know that, and as a US born citizen myself, our tipping culture is something that really embarrasses me. I think our tipping culture makes us seem a bit less like a developed country…

@@mbatisteI think it has to be with minimum wage and how little they get if they don’t get tips, is it 10% expected for tipping? Perhaps the hard concept to grasp was the pricing was one then paying another, very confusing. C’est la vie Cheers

@@Lucia-1414If I am not mistaking, I think that tipping 20% or more is the new standard in restaurants in the US now. Many years ago it was 10%, just a few years ago it was 15% or 18%, and now about 20%. But I do not eat in restaurants here anymore. I only eat in restaurants if I am traveling overseas, but not expensive ones.

As an American, I hate tipping!

Don’t worry South Koreans are docile and submissive and still colonized by western countries ! So do wathever you want if you are a western person ! If you are the global south I won’t encourage you to go there since South Koreans absolutely racists towards others Asians , Arabs , Africans …

주류언론 mbc kbs ytn 연합 jtbc 세뇌 세계 1위 대한민국 100sin 접종률 세계 1위 대한민국 마스크 착용율 세계 1위 대한민국 자살율 세계 1위 대한민국 명품소비 세계 1위 대한민국

Anti Indian country

한국의 문화와 특징을 이해하면 한국 여행을 더욱 즐길 수 있을 것입니다. 한국은 고도의 예절과 정중함을 중요시하는 문화를 갖고 있습니다. 경배와 인사는 깊은 머리 숙이기로 표현하며, 젊은 사람들은 어르신들에게 반드시 경의를 표합니다. 또한, 식사 시 공손하고 겸손한 태도를 유지해야 하며, 안주나 주류를 부을 때엔 상대방에게 주의를 기울이는 것이 중요합니다. 또한, 한국은 민속 공예품과 전통음식, 한복 등 다양한 문화유산을 자랑합니다. 고즈넉한 한옥마을과 석양이 아름다운 해변, 예쁜 남한산성 등 다양한 관광명소 역시 매력적입니다. 또한, 한국인은 식사를 중요시하며 나누는 문화를 갖고 있어 함께 식사를 하는 것이 인심 공고에 좋습니다. 한국인들은 산을 좋아하며 술자리나 모임을 자주 가지는 것을 선호합니다. 또한, 소주나 막걸리 등의 전통주를 즐기는 것도 한국인들의 일상적인 문화입니다. 마음을 열고 상호 이해하며 소통하는 것이 한국 여행을 더욱 풍요롭고 즐겁게 만들어 줄 것입니다. 이러한 한국의 문화와 특징을 존중하며 경험해보시면 한국 여행이 더욱 풍성하고 소중한 추억이 될 것입니다.

agreed ! went to the office for my first at work today, so I bowed but surprisingly my HR manager straight up hugged me. It felt weird because I know it is not something they usually do, but I was pleasantly surprised !

yeap! I love hugging so much, though I’m Korean!

이게 진짜 한국인들의 생각이지 대신에 외국인이 한국식 예절을 잘 지킨다면 누구나 그를 명예 국민으로 인정해줄 것임

Thank you for asking for consent before hugging.

The same goes for when they assume all foreigners are fine with casual speech - I hate that.

이거 진짜 좋은 지적인것 같아요. 미국의 경우에는 이런 부분이 문제가 되지 않는다고 허더라구요. 그래서 최소한 미국인일 경우 잘 모르고 미국에서 하던것 처럼 무분별하게 사람들 촬영할 수 있을것 같아요.

Thank you for adding this important point about respecting people's privacy and portrait rights in Korea. It's always best to ask for permission before taking photos or videos of individuals, especially when their faces are visible. Respecting people's privacy is important in any culture, and it's important to be aware of and adhere to local laws and customs when documenting your experiences in a foreign country.

I wanna ask about giving and receiving with both hands is it only a formal way or everytime thing

real

반가운 말씀 감사합니다. 저는 은기이고, 여기서 함께 대화를 이어가며 즐거운 시간을 보내고 싶습니다. 함께 이야기를 나누어 보시겠어요?

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I learn some korean through listening to kpop and watching kdrama

Absolutely agree with this, as an expat living in Busan~^^

@@tuscanyhealy3020 부산사람들 성격이 활발함ㅋ

Plus a lot of ppl jaywalks in Busan, Even in big roads

@@asianthundergod1612 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 맞아

I'm seoulian but i agree that people in Busan are much more outgoing than us ㅋㅋㅋㅋ We're are more... individualistic. It's like NY(Seoul) - LA (Busan).

Yes, I agree, but in Korea, those are very strict rules. If you don't follow those rules, you would be considered as an under human.

In Ukraine, we still have the same universal proper behavior. Especially about shoes in the house. It would be extremely impolite if you won't take off your shoes in somebody's house.

Maybe I misunderstood, but it sounded from the video like nobody other than the elderly sit in those designated seats, even if the train is almost empty, and there are no elderly people in sight. Kind of how she said people don’t jaywalk, even if it is 5 in the morning and not a car is in sight anywhere on the roads.

@@JaySpartinaztecfitz You don't seem to be a native English speaker. How are you from anywhere in America?

"U might be surprised to know that when I visited Ukraine in 1990s , people were giving up seats to elderlies , people did remove shoes before entering home" What rude country do you come from if you find this surprising ??

ㅋㅋㅋ 맞아요!

😂🤣

True

딸배들이 문제여ㅋㅋㅋ

@@___JJuiceKikiㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I like your last sentence.. to show respect to expect respect. I think that's basic human education 👍

To learn Korean through Duolingo I find extremely hard. I struggle mostly with the alphabet and the pronunciation. I found a girl called "Hailey" a native Korean speaker helpful, but you should also look around for other sources on RU-vid. Another one is called "Learn Korean Live" and another one "seemile Korean".

There was this one channel i forgot the name of but he’s a foreigner who has spoken Korean for 13 years and he posts learning videos (I suggest him bc his first language is English so he knows the parts where it becomes hard for non natives)

@@arissamazumder if you’re thinking of Go Billy, I taught myself Hangul from his videos. He’s amazing! Thx

@@XOut4This yes I am lol and I agree he is so good!

@user-lt7wr8oo3w that’s not how languages work

**Compared to the the USA** you mean, Lots of other countries don’t like random small talk to strangers like Americans. Germans, Scandinavians particularly don’t like it.

@@hblock8361 Yes, actually not being forced into eye contact or small talk with strangers sounds like a dream to me as a german. :D

I am half german, I don’t think that is true everywhere. And half french, where it is also not uncommon I think.

I really understand what you wrote. I felt the same way unfortunately.... but I had a lot of fun anyway :)

@@shakedfridkin Yeah it was still fun :) And not everyone was like this, but it’s still common.

Even in Busan small talk happens quite often. People might not know that Seoul and other parts of Korea aresomewhat different. But my impression is that foreigners usually think Seoul = Korea.

@@iigel352 Veo lo que sucede,Seul es una gran ciudad y como toda gran ciudad su gente corre de un lado al otro sin mirarse.Pero en lugares más pequeños la gente es distinta.Pienso viajar y no me gustaría no poder conversar con la gente,como puedo conocer lo que es el país solo mirando las montañas o los ríos,un país es su gente a mi modo de ver.

So true. I just got back from SK and Japan and the door thing annoyed me so much. Almost got hit in the face by one because I forgot that it wasnt a thing there, people dont even look behind to see if there's anyone they just go through and let it go. By the last couple of days I had semi adjusted and started doing the same but definitely the first time I walked through a door and just let it go not looking behind I felt so guilty since I wasnt used to it. I also noticed the same with trains. People dont vacate their seat for anyone. Saw some elderly when I was standing and noticed that no one even looked up at them let alone getting up so they could sit. Just different customs and habbits and I just had to remind myself that during my 3 weeks in SK before I moved on to Japan.

Good to know. I generally like small talk to get to know new people and make new friends. Breaking the ice is often a hard thing, but can lead to some lasting friendships or at least a wonderful tale to go home and tell your family about a person you met.

굳이

@@yonbio 알려야지 전범기인줄도 모르고 패션인줄 알고 쓰는건데..이렇게 멍청할 수가

@@user-hc8vo1mq8b ‘굳이’를 ‘궂이’라고 해서 맞춤법 알려준건데 무슨 소리 하는 거니?

An introverts dream. Can't wait til I visit next year.

And no physical touch. Especially with strangers. Like in the subway they don’t use their arms even when it is moving a lot, to avoid touching people. Like living here had been so soothing for me.

Best place for Introvert. even you don't have to go out in your house if you want. you can pay your tax in online, everything can be delivered basically.

Don’t worry South Koreans are docile and submissive and still colonized by western countries ! So do wathever you want if you are a western person ! If you are the global south I won’t encourage you to go there since South Koreans absolutely racists towards others Asians , Arabs , Africans …

as korean, the place those things happen also sounds like paradise… and i want to give it a try someday

By educating yourself about cultural symbols and customs before traveling, you can show respect for the local people and avoid unintentionally causing offense. Taking the time to learn about the history and significance of symbols like the rising sun flag can help you navigate unfamiliar environments with sensitivity and awareness. Remember that cultural norms and meanings can vary significantly from country to country, so being informed and respectful can enhance your interactions and experiences while traveling.

고마워영 ㅎㅎ